


Jolly Times

by storieaddict



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-29
Updated: 2013-06-28
Packaged: 2017-12-16 12:27:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/862030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storieaddict/pseuds/storieaddict
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What I imagine happens as our favorite fueding characters form a hasty alliance, climb aboard The Jolly Roger, and spend quality time together in a relatively confined space.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Jolly Times

**Author's Note:**

> I think I'd like to try my hand at some episodic writing rather than trying to tie a narrative thread through these chapters. I will accept prompts if you have something you'd like me to write on board--come on, you know you'd like to prompt me (you can comment or drop me an ask on tumblr--storieaddict.tumblr.com).
> 
> As always, I love reviews (good or bad) so if you have something to say, please don't hesitate!

“Oy, Regina,” the lilting command snapped from the helm, “I said to shorten that sail, not _set_ it!”

                Emma had to bite her lip to keep from laughing as the Evil Queen glared daggers at Captain Hook before resetting her legs around her outstandingly undignified perch to follow his instructions.  In the days following their descent into the portal to Neverland, the royal group had been given a crash course on sailing.  Hook had given them little choice in the matter, taking command moments after the water had settled from the twisting vortex into the rocking motion Emma had almost become accustomed to negotiating.   _“No offense meant, to your respective Majesties,”_ the captain had quipped, strolling casually around the deck, _“But do any of you know the first bloody thing about sailing?”_ When the four royals had exchanged blank looks, Hook had quickly set about correcting their knowledge. 

                Sailing a ship like _The Jolly Roger_ was a lot more complicated than she had anticipated. The skeleton crew sealed seams, adjusted sails, tied intricate knots, and heaved large loads as directed by the famous pirate. Within hours, Emma’s hands had been wrapped in bandages, blistered and bleeding, and she was more tired than she remembered being in a very long time.  It hadn’t helped that her mother, while a fierce warrior, was a miserable sailor.  Mary Margaret spent most of her time with her head hanging over the side of the ship, and Emma mused (while literally picking up her mom’s slack) that the dark-haired woman was lucky that her hair was cropped short as her retching was nearly constant.

                “Swan!” Hook shouted, snapping Emma back to the present, “Mind that line!” Emma gripped the rope in her hand tighter, winding it carefully around the pins mounted on the side of the ship as Hook had shown her.  “Good lass!” Hook praised, and Emma shot him an amused glance.  He was really enjoying giving orders to “his betters” as he had put it.  Regal titles had been thrown overboard as yet another casualty of practicality—there were three “Your Majesties” and a “Your Highness” on board (who knew a princess was formally addressed as Highness until she became a queen?), calling each other by their names was really the only way anything was going to get accomplished.

                Off all of them, David was adapting to the work load extremely well; apparently the long hours as a shepherd had prepared him for the arduous life on the high seas. “Hook,” David called, requiring assistance.

                Hook bounded around the ship with an agility that was a marvel to see. He fairly flew around the ropes and the deck; Emma secretly thought he looked a little like a nautical Tarzan, completely the master of his domain. She still couldn’t believe he had come back when he had gotten away scot-free with a magic bean as his free ticket to anywhere. The look in his eyes as he had handed her the magic bean—equal parts shame and daring—had pulled her up short.  He had come back to help, he had put his revenge on Rumplestiltskin behind him, and he meant it.  Her super power told her he wasn’t lying.

                Of course, Hook’s willingness to forgo his revenge on Rumplestiltskin did not mean the two were currently bromancing.  Quite the opposite—the only person Hook didn’t boss around was Gold, and Emma was pretty sure that was because it would require the two to communicate.  Shortly after their journey through the portal, as Hook had started his maritime lessons, Gold had cast the group a sidelong sneer and headed below decks.  He had taken up the position of ship’s cook—a job he was surprisingly adept at, though Emma had a suspicion he was using magic to prepare the meals quickly and spending his free time hatching all manner of nefarious plots.  Typical, but Gold was a problem Emma would deal with later. 

                Emma watched the passing coastline carefully in the fading evening light, scanning, always scanning for a glimpse of movement or a sign of life.  She kept searching for something—anything—that would lead them to Henry.  Neverland was not one large island, but a collection of small island chains.  Each island had its own character, its own quirks, but they all shared the common feature that they were difficult to land on.  Hours could be spent searching for a place to make port, and so far their search parties had not been successful.  The close of another unsuccessful day forced the crew of _The Jolly Roger_ to drop anchor in hopes of a few hours of sleep.

                David trudged wearily over to his daughter, and slung an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close against his side, “We’ll find him.”

                “It’s been days,” Emma said in a very small voice.

                His baby girl carried the weight of the world, several in fact, David mused.  He kissed her brow, “I’d tell you not to worry, but that’s ridiculous.” He sighed, “I think I’ll take your mother below decks and tuck her into bed.  You’ve got first watch tonight?”

                Emma nodded, “Regina will relieve me in a few hours.”

                “I’ll bring you up whatever Gold has concocted for dinner, okay?”

                As David led the groaning Mary Margaret down the stairs, Emma managed a small smile—having a dad to take care of her was still a novel feeling. She felt herself stiffen as Regina moved to walk past her.  The former queen halted and looked back at Emma over her shoulder asking, “If there’s any sign…?”

                Emma nodded, “I’ll wake you.” Regina nodded and continued below.  The tentative alliance forged between Henry’s two mothers was still fresh and vulnerable, and Emma knew it would be a while before she didn’t have to remind herself that Regina was on their side now (well, at least on Henry’s side and that was all Emma really cared about).

                Emma leaned against the railing, letting the wind blow her hair around as she tried not to stare at the sun as it seemed to dip below the horizon.  Something about the way time passed (or rather didn’t pass) in Neverland made the conventional timing clues difficult for Emma.  Even though the sunset would indicate that another day had ended, it felt—off.  It felt like staring into a fire or at the clouds, trying to make sensible pictures out of random shapes—an enjoyable pastime for a while, but when the shapes refused to make logical sense it made Emma feel out of her depth. She didn’t know how to play the game of Neverland and pretend that time was moving forward even when it was really halted.  It was one big lie, and it made Emma’s skin crawl.

                 So, Emma distracted herself by going over Henry’s kidnapping again in her mind.  Her fingers itched for a pad and paper to write down details, to work this case like she had a thousand others, but in her haste to follow Tamara and Greg she hadn’t exactly had the time to grab post-its or a pen.  At least she had remembered her gun even though that didn’t really make her feel secure.

                A sliver of ice cold fear stabbed through her guts—if they hurt Henry, she was going to kill them.   Emma had never considered herself homicidal until her child was threatened.  Now she knew, when it came to protecting Henry, there was nothing she wouldn’t do for that four foot, floppy-haired boy who had always had her heart, and his father’s eyes. No, no, no, she was _not_ going there right now.  She had to focus on Henry because Neal was gone and he wasn’t going to come back.  She had to take a few gulps of brisk sea air, closing her eyes and letting her hair fly haphazardly around her face in a conscious effort to calm down.

                “Here,” a voice said gruffly behind her.

                Emma let out a squawk and jumped a foot in the air; whirling, she found Hook standing behind her with a sardonic smirk plastered all over his face and his hook held out in her direction. “Seriously? You’re wearing boots—I should have heard you sneaking up behind me,” she griped.

                Hook’s grin only deepened and he waggled his hook at her, presenting the leather thong dangling from the silver bend, “Tie back your hair, it’s getting in your way.”

                “Have you found me lacking, Captain?” Emma asked as she bound her hair into a long tail.

                His grin turned positively feral, “Lass, ‘lacking’ isn’t the word I’d use to describe you.” His eyes, so startlingly blue amid such dark features, swept her head to toe.

                Of course, that was the moment David returned with two bowls of hearty stew and crusty bread.  “Shouldn’t you be getting some sleep?” David obviously hadn’t missed Hook’s comment and proceeded to stare down the pirate.  Rather than interfere with their testosterone-fueled posturing, Emma merely rolled her eyes and ate her stew. 

                Hook shrugged good naturedly, “Fell out of the habit of sleeping regularly after the first hundred years in Neverland. I only need a few hours a night, so I might as well make myself useful and help with the watch.”

                “The _first_ hundred years?” Emma exclaimed flabbergasted.  “How old are you?”

                Hook only raised his eyes mysteriously and winked at her, “Old enough.”

                Emma quirked an eyebrow, “So I guess you’re what’s meant by the term old soul?”

                Hook chuckled, “Indeed.” 

                They ate in companionable silence, and David took their bowls back below (not before shooting Hook another warning glare).

                “Just when I thought we were all becoming friends,” Hook smiled teasingly.

                Emma only shot him a look as she began pacing the deck. Hook fell in step beside her and they watched the moonlight over the water.  It was so quiet and so still Emma couldn’t help letting her mind wander.  No, their group was not comprised of friends—they were banded together to save Henry, but that didn’t make them friends.

                Hook cocked his head to one side as he studied her, “What’s going on in that busy mind of yours?”

                Emma turned to look at him, “I was just thinking that Henry is the reason we’re all here.” Emma ticked off names on her fingers, “Mary Margaret, David, Regina, even Gold—Henry’s our family, so I know why we’re here.” She took a cautious step closer to the pirate, lifting her chin slightly to look him squarely in the eye, “But why are you here? Henry isn’t anyone to you.”

                The captain’s smile was cold, “Well you weren’t bloody likely to find your boy without my ship, now were you?”

                “You didn’t answer my question.”

                “Maybe I wanted to be part of something bigger than myself,” somehow he made her own words sound like a threat.

                “Maybe you should just tell me your reasons, Hook,” Emma said dangerously, “because it’s my kid’s life on the line here.”

                The pirate’s lips pressed into a thin line and his eyes nearly burned into her own, but Emma held her ground.  Finally Hook cursed, spun and ran his fingers through his untidy black hair.  With his back to her, he hung his head with his hand fisted on his hip.  “I’ve made mistakes in my long life,” he began and seemed to stall.  Just when Emma thought he would storm away without finishing his thought, he said, “Getting your boy back might be… an avenue to redemption.”

                Of all the reasons Emma was expecting, _redemption_ wasn’t one of them.  While Emma stood there gaping, Hook stalked down the stair and disappeared below decks. 


End file.
